Thrift Find of the Day #6

Thrift Find of the Day #6

       Hello everyone and Happy Holidays! I just wanted to check in with everyone and show you all a cool thrift find. I discovered this piece a few weeks back at my local Goodwill, and I've been in love ever since. This is an amazing example of early 20th century needlepoint art. This one in particular is even dated at 1927. It was created by a six year old girl named Mae Jean. Once I saw this gem I grabbed it, because I knew it was something special. And it only cost me $2.99! That is a steal considering that you can never fully recreate a piece like this. Perhaps one of the most amazing aspects of this piece was its frame. It was done professionally, and even done with matte glass! This makes it look super cool as you will never get a glare. So let me know what you all think of this awesome piece!

Stone Furniture

Stone Furniture

     Recently I acquired a piece of furniture that really got me excited. Its a vintage marble coffee table! I have seen this piece for years in the my great aunt and uncles home, and finally I decided to take it off their hands as they are moving into a condo. I love the fact that the colors are very modern with the black and white, and the fact that the slab of marble is not attached to the ugly green base. This means that I can buy some cool MCM table legs. I just envisioned this piece in my future Chicago apartment! With dark grey walls and black leather furniture, I could really make it work! Let me know what you guys think about this diamond in the rough!

Rehab Addict: The Addiction is Real

 Rehab Addict: The Addiction is Real

              There is always a show that captivates my interest so much that I feel like everyone should know about it. Usually the show has to pertain to my interests, which is why this amazing show caught my eye years ago and continues to keep me watching, that show is Rehab Addict. The premise of this show is simple, a modern day single mom buys and renovates old homes to their former glory. That may seem like sort of a boring topic! and a little pbs-y, but let me tell you, the art of restoring old homes should get more recognition then it does. It takes a lot of work to bring life back into a old home that was overlooked for many years. All the work that goes into these houses should be recognized and I am really glad that homes are later placed on the historical society list so that they never get torn down. The main host is so determined to making these houses last, she even made sure that they never get turned into multi family homes. That shows how determined she is in preserving these homes. So if you have time to spare and have nothing to do, then consider watching Rehab Addict. There are a bunch if episodes on Netflix right now, and the current season is airing now. Until next time, make sure to read my older posts and leave me comments on what you think about the topics I discuss.

Old vs. New Construction

 Old vs. New Construction

             I've been thinking a lot about home lately, well more than usual. One thing I have been thinking about was the differences between new construction(NC) and old construction(OC). When I think of NC, my mind goes to some tacky early 2000's homes with the carpeting and the bright maple banisters, Gross! Now if you love in a NC, don't feel bad about it, there are many ways to enhance your house to make it feel like a home. The first thing I would recommend is to paint! Yes paint! I can't tell you how many times I will just see paint white walls in a house. If you want some fun in your home, add some color because it adds personality to your home and makes it feel like someone lives there. Flooring g is another big part of your home that should reflect you personality. If you have white carpet and linoleum throughout your home, that doesn't say much about yourself, unless you really like white carpeting and linoleum. I totally understand if you cannot change the flooring in your home, perhaps you are renting or you don't have the money to replace it, in that case make the best of it by adding cosmetic changes. For one, if you have boring tile or linoleum, add decorative rugs. If you are stuck with gross old carpet, make the best of the situation, get it steam cleaned and enjoy what you have. Perhaps the most important part of making a house feel like a home, is the decoration and furniture. You want your home to represent you and what you stand for. If you don't like beige couches, then don't buy beige couches. If you don't like modern furniture, them don't buy modern furniture. You home is a statement of you. When buying furniture, many people think that you have to decorate your home the way the house looks like when you buy it. That is not true at all! I have seen tons of modern home decorated with antique pieces, and visa versa. But the only way to make this work is by decorating your house in a way that will make everything flow.

Men's Fashion: Cardigans

Men's Fashion: Cardigans

             I have loved cardigans for a long time now, and having already owned one cardigan, I was on the hunt for a simple black one. So today I went over to a local mall near me, to go to H&M and find a cardigan. I already checked the night before if they had any good ones, and they did, so I made sure to find them today. I found it right away when I walked into the store, and tried some on. I went with the black one, because I wanted a versatile color that I could wear with anything. I tried the x large, but ultimately went with the large, because the other one was super baggy and i wanted a good fitting one, to be my first black cardigan. Now having worn it all day, I definitely want another one, but maybe in like a mustard yellow or some kind of burgundy, or maybe even a navy. I already have a blue color blocked one from Jack Spade, so I would want maybe a dark grey next. One thing I can say, is that cardigans are very comfortable and you can wear them with almost anything. I'm sure I will be wearing it all season and through the winter and possibly into the spring! Make sure to comment down bellow and to check out my other blog posts for other fashion posts!

Love this color!

The Jack Spade cardigan that I own

Furry Blankets

 Furry Blankets

Since I am home today, feeling sick, I wanted to write you all a blog about something that has been on my mind lately, fur blankets! While I only own one faux fur blanket from Restoration Hardware, I am definitely not opposed to expanding my collection! While I own a faux fur blanket, I am not against real fur in any way. I believe its a personal preference. There are many options for fur blankets in many different stores, in many different styles and designs. Perhaps one of my favorites would be the Adrienne Landau fur blankets offered at Neiman Marcus. While I cant afford to spend over 1k on a single blanket, there are many great alternatives offered in almost every store! I would recommend going to Restoration Hardware, as they have many awesome colors. They did discontinue the one that I own, the amazing grey color, but always check the outlet store, if there is one near you because they have lots of amazing things there. So Check out pretty much any store for cool options of fur blankets. Make sure to comment, and check out my other blog posts.

Love this one!

Even More Horse Hair!

Even More Horse Hair!

       A couple of weeks ago, when I was at TJ-Maxx I saw these coasters made of horse hair, and I was in awe of how amazing they looked, but I did not get them. Ever since then, I have been thinking about them, until today when I stumbled upon a little box made of the same horse hair! I was so happy to find it, I made sure to buy it! I am so happy that I did make the choice of buying it, because it looks amazing on one of the shelves in my room. Its a super unique little box that you can put any small trinkets into. So until next time, please leave me comments and make sure to read my other blog posts to see what in for home decor!

For the Love Of Knoll

For the Love of Knoll

          In honor of the annual Knoll Furniture sale (which ends on September 30!) I decided to make a post about the love and appeal of Knoll Furniture! For the longest time I saw knoll furniture on flea market shopping shows, but never quite understood the appeal. That was until I went on their website and saw the prices! Like over $5000 for a Barcelona chair! (which is on sale right now for about $4600) While I cants afford to spend 5k on a single chair, I can appreciate the workmanship that it takes to create these amazing pieces of furniture. This encourages me to go out flea market shopping, to find these amazing pieces. While you can find a replica Barcelona chair at TjMaxx, you get what you pay for. Maybe one day I will be able to buy an amazing piece of Knoll furniture, but until then I will keep on window shopping. Make sure to leave me comments and find me on twitter and instagram!

Barcelona Chair

Barcelona Couch

Black Dinnerware

Black Dinnerware

     A couple of days ago, I saw some amazing black crystal dinner glasses at my local TJ Maxx, and that has inspired me to make a post about black dinnerware. I think that black dinnerware adds a sense of masculine elegance to a home. It also incorporates a modern touch to any dinner party. 

The first set I found were octagonal dinner sets. I like these because they have an interesting look to them as they are an unusual shape and they are modern yet classic.

The second black dinnerware I found were these amazing glasses. These incorporate so much elegance but yet have a modern touch with the color choice. These also come in white, if you are looking for more a clean nautical decorated dinning room. Please leave me comments below.

Cool Coasters

           While being out today, I ran across a cool set of horse hair coasters, and while tempting to buy, I decided to hold off. Since they were so amazing, and considering that I haven't been posting a lot on here lately, I decided why not make a blog about some cool coasters for your home!

The first set of coasters that I love, are these wooded coasters. These are perfect for a rustic style room, or any room that needs a little bit of nature and eclecticism.

The other two coasters that I love are, these Agate stone coasters. These are really cool and bring a cool look to any dull room. Beware that if overdone, these coasters can overkill a room very easily.

New post coming soon!

Hey guys! Sorry for not posting anything for a while, but Im working on some cool new fall decor blogs! I have been really busy with school lately, ACT and all. So stay tuned for upcoming blogs!

Fall Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

Fall Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

       Its almost that time of year again, the Fall.  Personally my favorite holiday, I am quite excited for the fall! I especially love the weather, which is perfect for awesome sweaters. Also the fall contains possibly one of my favorite holidays, Halloween! So in honor of the approching season, I thought I would show you guy's some awesome pumpkin decorating ideas! I found these cool pics all over the web and i must say they are giving me ideas for future blog posts! I especially like the studded pumpkins! This look adds a modern touch to an old tradition. I also love the black pumpkin I saw at Michael's that had writing on it that represented chalk on it. I think I might steal that idea, becuase the prices at Michael's can be a little out of this world sometimes. Another cool pumpkin look, is the glitter pumpkin, that I also saw at Michael's. I wont personally be making that one, just because of personal taste, but its definetly an awesome look! I plan on making a bunch more of these Fall posts later on, just bare with me because I started school, so I don't have all the time I used to. So until next time, please comment down bellow and let me know what you guys think of these pumpkin ideas! And share your ideas for Fall!

Off Fifth Saks Fifth Avenue Haul

                 Off Fifth Saks Fifth Avenue Haul

      Hey guys! So this is kind of a different haul than the ones I have done before, as it is not a thrifting haul. But about two days before school started, I realized that I needed to get a new backpack. So after I found the backpack at Marshall's, I headed over to the Off Fifth Saks Fifth Avenue, just to see what they had on sale. Immediately I went over to the Buy 1, get 2 free section and started looking. My best find of the night, was this amazing black jean shirt, that was bleach died. It was just my size and I thought it was awesome. So then I had to find two more things of lesser value so that I could get the discount. So I found some gloves by Marc Jacobs, which I liked because thy had my initials, MJ, on them. The last think I found was a beanie from the brand, Penguin. Not the most exciting finds but I had to get the things so that I could get the sale. So overalls I really like the outcome of the shopping trip, and hope to find more! Let me know of you guys like these men's fashion blog posts!

GENERAL UPDATE

GENERAL UPDATE!

                   Hey Guys! I just wanted to come on here to give an update since I haven't posted in a couple of days. I haven't posted because I just started school this week, and that takes up a lot of my time. I wont be able to go thrifting as much as I did over the summer, but I'm going to try to go do some thrifting tomorrow. I do have some planned blogs that will come out this weekend. Thanks for understanding!

Thrift Find Of The Day #5

Thrift Find Of The Day #5

           I'm happy to report that today was quite a succesful thrifting experience! Let me Explain. After looking around Goodwill today, and not finding much, I managed to find this amazing vintage hand made abstract art piece. The frame and everything is in good condition too, so it was a no brainer, and especially because it was marked at only $6.99! I think it was a good find and I have already put together some cool ways to use it on a shelf or a mantle. the first look I incorporated the gold tones, by adding the yellow gumball machine, and the gold two person decor item. I also added a black candle to add some contrast to the look. The second look I put together incorporated the black, white and grey tones to it. In this look I added two vases on the right, which brought the black/white/grey and on the left I used a cool zebra, and the same black candle from the last look. Both can be incorporated into any home and its super affordable! Thanks for reading, and leave me feedback!

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Golden Thrift Haul!

Golden Thrift Finds

              So finally after a while of accumilating some cool, eclectic golden thrift finds, I am getting around to posting a whole blog about them! There will be another color specific thrift finds post coming soon, but first lets get on with the Golden collection! So The first item I found was the two person object. I found it for only $1.99 at my local Goodwill, and I was quite happy because it still had its retail sticker from Marshalls that read $9.99! And the best part, was that it was in pretty much brand new condition! This made the find so much more fufilling and rewarding! The next find on the far right is this cool plastic candle holder. It was only $.99 so I couldn't resist it, but looking back at it now, it was not the best purchase of the day. I am still sure that it will look amazing in future staging projects, like with a black candle in it. For less than a dollar I couldnt say no. The last find of that day, was this awesome golden mask. I was in the lighting section of Goodwill, right when I was about to give up, I foundd this awesome mask laying on the top shelf where I couldnt even see the amazing golden color of it. It was such a quirky piece, that I could not leave it, especially the $2.99 price tag! Upon further investigation, I had revealed that it was a form of porcelin or some kind of clay. I dont care what material it is, because i am still in shock at how awesome it is! So that was my Golden thrift finds and boy were they good! Thanks for reading and please leave me feadback! 

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Movie Review: You're Next

Movie Review: You're Next

         So I know that this dosen't have anything to do with thrifting or DIY, but I'm gonna be reviewing movies that I see from now on, but don't worry I'll still do the thrifting posts! So on with the review! I was on Netflix the other night, and I saw under the popular section, a movie that I recognized, called, You're Next. And the plot seemed pretty decent, so I decided to check it out. From the beginning the movie kept me interested and focused. Never a dull moment in the movie, I was forced to pay attention, which I guess was a good thing because the plot was not half bad! The director, Adam Wingard did a great job at making this movie compelling and interesting all the way through, and making it feel like an 80's slasher film, which I love! I definitely look forward to watching more of his movies, as he has talent for this craft. I also loved the music in the movie, there was some super old school beats in it that made me feel like I was watching an 80's slasher flick. The acting was pretty good too! There weren't many parts that disappointed me, as the death scenes were fulfilling. So overall I would give this movie a 7/10. Check it out on Netflix now!

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Thrfit Find Of The Day #4

Thrift Find Of The Day #4

            Hey guys! So after an annoying school orientation, I decided to go thrifting to ease the annoyance. So I went to my local Savers, and started thrifting. I only found two items today, one including an old tshirt and this awesome red gumball machine! I bet I would have found a bunch more stuff, but I was talking on the phone with a friend so I was a little distracted. Anyway, when I saw this awesome little thing, I immediatley put it in my car, and I sure am glad I did! I was a little suprised to find a second gumball machine, but glad at the same time. The piercing red color will go perfectly in my red collection. It is aslso date stamped with 1985, so I thought that was pretty cool. Well that's it for this blog, I know that its a little short, but I have some huge blogs coming out in the coming weeks! So until next time!

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Easy DIY project

Easy DIY project

Today I'm gonna show you guys how to update an old work out food/TV tray! So we had this super old TV tray just around out house and then eventually it ended up outside and started to get really ugly, so I thought, that's the perfect opportunity to make it look amazing! So first I sanded it down a little, just enough to get the old paint off a little. Then I wiped it down and primed it with my flat grey primer. After that I let it sit until it dried. After that I spray painted the top part a gloss grey and let that dry. After it dried, I taped off the parts I wanted to keep grey, and I started to make a fun pattern on the top of it. Then I took a semi gloss black and painted it. After that dried, I took off all the tape and painted the rest of it black, like the legs and the under area. So the final step was to put a clear gloss coat all over, so if you spill anything on it, it won't ruin the paint. So that's how I turned an old outdated TV/food tray into a modern, stylish piece that we are going to use around our house for the years to come! 

Please comment bellow on what you think!

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Thrift Find Of The Day #3

Thrift Find Of The Day #3 

                So for my third thrift find of the day, I'm gonna show you guys this awesome old valet chair! So I found this piece at my local goodwill a few weeks ago. I was just browsing the furniture section, when this awesome vintage chair just jumped out at me! At first I didn't know what it was, or what you do with it, but after some research I discovered it was a men's valet chair. Unfortunately it did not open in the stool part, but it still had the original manufacturers note on the bottom! So I'm not really sure what to do with it, I was thinking that I could maybe just make it a stool, since it has that awesome MCM look to it. So let me know what you think I should do with it!

Transformation Tuesday: Furniture Addition

Transformation Tuesday: Furniture Addition

                  

Before/After

              For my first transformation Tuesday, I am going to show you guys this awesome old Mid Century Modern (MCM) foot stool that I got for free from my great aunt and uncle for free! So I found this amazing piece while up in the attic of my great aunt and uncles house. I was up there just looking around because they said that they want to get rid of a bunch of stuff, since they are down sizing from their huge Chicago bungalow, to a considerably smaller condo. Anyway, I was exploring upstairs when I saw this amazing old foot stool just sitting there in the corner. I have seen that thing up there all my life, considering it has been up there for 30+ years, but until that moment, I have never really though much of it. When I really looked at it, I saw that it needed a lot of work and would take some time and money to really fix it up and bring it back to life. When I found it, the leather off the top had started to rip, and the old stuffing had started to smell really bad considering it had been up in a stuffy attic for all of its life.

               So I took it home that day, and I started to get to work immediately. First I took all of the leather and stuffing out of it, which left me with just a board and four legs. For a while I did not know what I was going to do with it, since I had never re-done a stool before, so I just started to look for large pieces of foam online, which I found one on eBay. You can also get large pieces of foam at Joann's, but it is more expensive than eBay. So after that I thought about what fabric I wanted to use for quite some time, when i found this awesome chevron print burlap! Before that I was considering many different options of fabrics, from black and white stripes to magna print fabric. Overall I'm glad I picked the chevron print burlap, but I do wish that it was a softer form of burlap and not so rough. I saved the old board from the original stool which saved time and money, next I just traced the shape of the board onto the piece of foam, and simply cut it out with a knife. then I simply upholstered it, which you can find a video of how to do that online. For the legs, I know I didn't want to keep them that old brown color, I wanted to give the piece a new life and a fresh start. So I sanded them down, not all the way. Next I primed them with my flat grey primer, then did a layer of semi-gloss black paint on them. I decided to preserve the color of the base of the legs, and keep its aged gold color. I think it adds some character to the piece, and mixes the old with the new, to give it a fun look. After the legs dried, I screwed them onto the upholstered base and I was done! overall this project was a lot easier than it seems. So now I just have to find a MCM chair that I can upholster in grey velvet and make a pillow to match the stool and I"ll have a set.

                         

 Thanks for reading! There's a couple more furniture DIY projects coming up! follow me on twitter @jachera_michael and my instagram @michaeljachera for more daily posts!